For the third time this week nets at Glengad have been put up by Shell and taken down by local residents. The purpose of the net is to stop sand-martins from nesting in the cliff-face.

What was once thought to be a specially protected priority habitat for birds and wildlife has actually, in effect, become a priority habitat for Shell.

All sorts of chats, communications and rumours abound about the permission for this and the consent for that, the legality of one thing and the illegality of another. But as Kevin Moore, An Bord Pleanala Senior Planning Inspector predicted in 2002, everything about this project is wrong. And it’s the right thing to do to disallow it and to stop it whatever the law says.

Related Links outside of Indymedia.ie
The website of Shell-to-Sea - CorribSOS.com
Feel like doing something? Contact all politicians about this - Contact.ie

Shell want to construct a ‘landfall’ installation at the Glengad Cliffs to secure an offshore pipeline that they have failed to construct for the past 4 years and more because of local resistance.

They have been facilitated all the way by the State who have no regard for the problems of social division, environmental destruction and economic treason associated with development of the Shell Corrib Gas Project.

Shell persist and have returned to Glengad with nets and security to further compromise this sensitive special area of conservation.

Nets were put across the cliff face at the start of this week and have been taken down for the third time today by local residents, openly and publicly, and once in the presence of Mr Denis Strong of the National Parks & Wildlife Service who is quoted as having said ... ‘Eh lads, I’d prefer if you’d take the nets down when I wasn’t around’, as he scarpered to avoid his responsibilities, whatever they are.

There’s a rumour that the National Parks & Wildlife Service have given their ‘approval’ for the net, which needs signing off by the Minister (of Environment I presume) to effect it. The rumour is that the minister has not signed off on it, if that is so. We have emailed the minister and made the appropriate phone calls to get the correct information on this, but have received no answer to our question as yet. Anyway, if a ‘Green’ minister is clearly in dereliction of his duty to protect this environment, and allow the predation of it by Shell, then it’s up to the citizens to take responsibility for the management of that.

Of course ‘reinstatement’ of a cliff like this is impossible since it is impossible to replicate the natural formation of a cliff, especially with a few diggers dumping sand and rubble simply to tidy up their mess.

Whatever the arguments for and against leaving the ‘reinstated’ cliff face open, or not, for birds to nest; to stand back and allow Shell to persist in compromising the integrity of the area, after they caused the damage in the first place is not a position I’d be in favour of. When I saw the net come down for the first time, that ended any confusion for me anyway and I’m not alone in that. Maybe I’m for the birds myself if I’m naive in this but it’s not up to Shell to dictate where the birds can nest or not. I’d leave that decision with the sand-martins.

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yes i agree the Erris people are a wonderful example of peaceful resistance protecting their homeland but the sad thing is the grand example of corruption, look the other way and treason that they are up against.

Shell workers came back to put up the net and were obstructed by Shell to Sea folks who chose to keep their bums dry on the recently taken down net, which remains in the same spot. And then the net was taken down again. Gardai came and left leaving security to spout meaningless instructions to stay away, which were ignored.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service people are all in meetings or busy, and there's no response from the ministers.

Well done to all involved in this; it's just another example of the litany of abuse by Shell in the pursuit of profit. Shame also on the Green Party for allowing this to continue, number one, and not answering your emails/phonecalls/letters - God help them when they come canvassing this summer.

The core problem as to the lack of active active conservation here is that the Wilflife Act Amended2000 is rendered dysfunctional thus the PWS 'have no teeth' and this is demonstrated in the way there seems to no enforcement of the legislation in the protection of hedgerows and trees. As late as April this year hedgerows and trees all over the country (because of diggers bought for knockdown prices)are being felled - and as a source of fuel - a counter offensive by people who are not allowed to cut turf . Surley the law as such is an ass, and the only chance of getting this legislation UPDATED is through Michael D Higins of Labour who narrowly missed out on ramming it HOME when in power lasttime round. Perhpas if Gormley and Ryan banged heads they might get the proponents of active conservation management within the PWS to be secunded into the Dept of Agriculture -Teagasc who seem to operate on active conservation management within REPS ,with A LOT more 'teeth' than the PWS. How can you expect the PWS to have any influence here on the conservation MANAGEMENT of sandmartins when they cant fulfill their contract in the protection of hedgerows and bogs etc.
Put in Michael D Higgins to get them out. Again the fault lies not only with PWS but with Bord Pleanala who overruled the Inspectors report and gave planning permission which is in breach of European Law AND IN CONTRAVENTION of the EU EIA and Habitats Legislation.
slan
ian

As well might you leave the fairies to plough your land or the idle winds to sow it, as sit down and wait for Shell to magically clear up their act and work in a positive manner. Shell only have one lust, money.

This tender notice has recently gone live on etenders - which is supposedly the procurement website for government tenders. It would appear that Shell has now officially taken its place at the cabinet table.

Stay the course....Well done to everyone in Glengad and beyond - mind those nets, this notice shows what Shell is planning next....